Feeling totally overwhelmed with Macy lately. I guess I just wasn't even thinking that our puppy could be aggressive when were deciding to get a puppy and now it just gets me feeling so down when I see her act aggressive. I can't take her on walks anymore because she is lunging/growling at people. She frequently gets 'time outs' in puppy class during play time for playing too rough (growling). I'm currently at my parents house for a few weeks for the holidays, they have a lab/border collie puppy the same age as Macy (4 months) and the two just cannot get along. Sometimes they're fine, but there are frequent vicious fights... So at this point I'm just not letting them be alone together anymore because I don't know what else to do.
Add on top of this her being pretty vocal (especially compared to my parents puppy and dog who never bark), and the 'regular' puppy behaviour like getting into everything. I just feel so overwhelmed some days. I feel like it's my fault because I got her from a BYB and I think she is a bit nervy. This is my first GSD, which I should have spent more time researching... I spend a fair bit of time training her every day, while my parents rarely spend time training their puppy, but it feels like he is so much better behaved.
I will admit, Macy is pretty good with her tricks, but just her 'manners' and aggression is getting me down. Had to rant...

stay on top of the training. don't stop walking her. you can train
and socialize while walking. train and socialize daily. i like training
in short sessions. each session last 5 to 10 minutes. i conduct many
sessions during the course of a day. i got up an extra 1&1/2 to 2 hours
early so i can train some before work. my GF did the same thing.
stop being overwhelmed and be come aggressive. train and socialize
with a vengeance.

I have found that GSD puppies are WAY more work than most other breeds.

To the extent that, frankly, when people see me and my GSD's and seem to want one I almost always do NOT recommend a GSD. Because they really don't understand that my breed may take WAY more time, money, attention, training, exercise TIME TIME TIME and help from going to classes.

And people that don't have GSD's and have raised other puppies really have no clue at our challenges.

Use the crate to separate the dogs.

Take time, EVERY DAY, to take your puppy out for an hours OR SO long walk. If there is some fenced in area you can play Chuckit or have the puppy really run it would be the best.

Know you have to locate and sign up for some dog classes. The socialization plus timely help from a great trainer is something we just can't do on our own.

Good luck, you aren't crazy, your puppy is harder to raise then you parents. But that said, you got a GSD puppy and so now are dealing with all the NORMAL GSD puppy things. So just 'shoulder to the wheel' and start managing your puppy like it is a GSD and not one of those EASY puppies!!!

Thanks everyone. She is in puppy classes right now, she has her last class after the holidays but we have signed her up for the next stage of classes as well. The trainer talks to us about potentially doing some one-on-one training as well, where she could come to us and see how Macy acts 'in the real world' and hopefully help with the aggression.
I guess I should clarify... We still take her on walks, just not down a path as we were before. It seems to trigger her if we are walking directly past people on a path/sidewalk so I am trying to work back up to that, getting her used to further distances from people walking by for now. She is never aggressive to people in any other circumstances - just when walking past them on a narrow path/sidewalk.
We take her to a park (not a dog park) every day for about an hour and walk her on leash for a while and then let her off leash to run around and play.
The training in terms of tricks is going well, she is great at sit, down, stand, stay, come and off.
I guess I just have to keep in mind she will be a lot more work than other breeds...

GSD's are very easy to train because they're so smart and versatile.
i don't find anything hard or difficult about training and rasing a GSD.
don't exspect a lot from a 4 month old pup.

[QUOTE=macy;4711146]Thanks everyone. She is in puppy classes right now, she has her last class after the holidays but we have signed her up for the next stage of classes as well. The trainer talks to us about potentially doing some one-on-one training as well, where she could come to us and see how Macy acts 'in the real world' and hopefully help with the aggression.
I guess I should clarify... We still take her on walks, just not down a path as we were before. It seems to trigger her if we are walking directly past people on a path/sidewalk so I am trying to work back up to that, getting her used to further distances from people walking by for now. She is never aggressive to people in any other circumstances - just when walking past them on a narrow path/sidewalk.
We take her to a park (not a dog park) every day for about an hour and walk her on leash for a while and then let her off leash to run around and play.
The training in terms of tricks is going well, she is great at sit, down, stand, stay, come and off.

>>>>> I guess I just have to keep in mind she will be a lot more work than other breeds...<<<<<[/QUOTE]

Hi there. Just wanted to say that I have a tough dog too. He is 7 months old and I had not great experiences with the puppy classes around here... too many trainers have labs and golden retrievers and in my opinion don't understand the shepherd well. I met someone on this forum that is local that has been a great help and I also found a trainer that knows shepherds, has one, and this has been very helpful too. I do recommend a few one on one sessions but also maybe a trainer that has worked with protection breeds. It ends up being worth it!!!

Hi there. Just wanted to say that I have a tough dog too. He is 7 months old and I had not great experiences with the puppy classes around here... too many trainers have labs and golden retrievers and in my opinion don't understand the shepherd well. I met someone on this forum that is local that has been a great help and I also found a trainer that knows shepherds, has one, and this has been very helpful too. I do recommend a few one on one sessions but also maybe a trainer that has worked with protection breeds. It ends up being worth it!!!

There are ways to work with this so don't quit but also don't wait.

Good luck.

Thanks!! Good to hear you had success. The trainer that offered me one-on-one has rottweilers and I believe she used to have a GSD. She seems to be very good with Macy so it may be just what she needs.

[QUOTE=doggiedad;4711178]GSD's are very easy to train because they're so smart and versatile.
i don't find anything hard or difficult about training and rasing a GSD.
don't exspect a lot from a 4 month old pup.
[QUOTE=macy;4711146]

But it is a lot of hard work, even when you are experienced. Stay the course, it'll pay off. Next year (yes, next year, sorry) you will look back and cannot believe that this is the same dog from a year ago.
I would not let her play with pups anymore but choose socially skilled adult dogs that teach her the ropes of dog rules.
Enjoy her crazy puppy hood and do not let her get away with anything.

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